Green Woodpecker

Picus viridis

A moderately large woodpecker common over much of Europe except the
far North (and the deprived island of Ireland that does not have
any woodpeckers). It is green with very bright yellow rump and
complicated head pattern including red. The malar stripe has red
if its a male - all black if female.

These birds have an amazing
laughing call and are known in parts of Britain as the 'yaffle'
after this call. It drums but not as often as some woodpeckers
and is particularly associated with feeding at ant's nests. It has
the usual tongue extending capabilities of a woodpecker and gets the
ants from the nest by exploring the corridors and chambers with its
tongue.
British population - about 15,000 breeding pairs.